We entered New Hope’s Ferry Market in the hopes of grabbing some Indian food at Cross Culture for lunch before heading back home. However, they were closed, and we happened to turn towards one of the food stands across the walkway and were met with a smile, a wave, and “Have you guys ever tried Peruvian food?” The lady’s name, we would find out in a few minutes, was Adela and she was the owner of Lima Fusian, an eatery offering Peruvian-Mexican fusion. We walked over and said we had, and she began talking to us about the menu. Justin was immediately interested, and after one look at the empanadas on display, so was I. We could tell immediately that Adela was passionate about her cuisine.
Proud of her Lomo Saltado, she said it was her special of the day and told us how good it was. “Actually”, I interjected, “We just made Lomo Saltado the other night.” She was astounded and became excited. We looked over the menu and wanting to not completely stuff ourselves, decided to share the Patacones with chicken. This was a platter consisting of the thickest fried plantains I have ever seen along with cubes of marinated, grilled chicken. On the side it included a salad with a large scoop of freshly made guacamole. We also went on to add an order of chips and guac along with an interesting chorizo and cheese empanada. So much for eating light.
When we first arrived at her counter, one of her family and kitchen-team members had just begun frying a batch of homemade tortilla chips. This was a good start, and a sign of what was to come. Adela was friendly and it was a lot of fun talking to her. She stressed the importance of sharing our meals on social media if we could which is a concept that more small business owners need to grasp the importance of (you would be shocked at how many do not).
Justin and I took a seat and the chips and guac were brought over. The chips themselves were still warm, crispy, and not overly salty. The guac was creamy and fresh. The word “fresh” is one that I will be using several times in this review. Next came the empanada we ordered along with a beef one that Adela graciously gave us so we could try more of a sampling. It is difficult to say which I liked more. Both were bursting with flavor, savory, and tender. One thing identical to both was the dough, which was more of a puff pastry than a typical empanada wafer that one would be used to rolling up. It was flaky and soft, giving it all the qualities of comfort food. I believe they were also baked instead of fried. Does this mean they are healthy now?
I could have left right then and there and been satisfied, but then our meal arrived. The chicken was perfectly cooked in a delicious marinade and despite being so large (like thin hockey pucks), the plantains were crispy and perfectly seasoned. They served as a vehicle to stuff my face with even more guacamole. Just look at the color and vibrancy of the food on the plate below. Fresh, fresh, fresh!
This is food that is clearly cooked with love. In this day and age, it is heartbreaking to see so many restaurants give up and mail it in, in terms of going the extra mile to provide fresh, quality ingredients. Seeing this as a family affair made it even more special, and while Adela requested that she get a picture of Justin and I with our food, I too wanted one of her and her family for the sake of this review.
Adela, the owner of Lima Fusion, pictured second from the right.
Justin, being of Spanish decent, is usually highly critical of Latin American food, simply because he cooks it so well himself and has taught me a lot of dishes. He registered not one single complaint about anything we ate on this afternoon. Lima Fusion is going to get a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me, which is the highest I can go for a food stand in the rating scale of this blog. But make no mistake, this was 100% perfect and if this place had a standalone restaurant to themselves, I have no doubt that there would be a constant line out the door. Great job, Adela and fam. Keep it up!
Lima Fusion is located inside Ferry Market, at 23 South Main Street in New Hope, PA.
Originally posted here on my food blog.
